My Mom

I've been wanting to write about my mom for quite some time now, but somehow it didn't materialize yet. But since it is her birthday today, even though she won't get to read this on her birthday (she's ten hours ahead of us in time zones), it's about time I put some of my thoughts down on paper, in public, because she deserves it.
There is no way that this will be a comprehensive description of everything I love about my mom. But I will put down a few thoughts.

I grew up feeling completely loved and secure. I have been told my whole life how happy my mom was when I was born, how she was hoping to start her family with a girl (and got me!) and how I smiled at her immediately. She told me how she had so much fun playing with me when I was a baby that it was hard to even get the dishes done. I always knew I was wanted.

Through all the moves between countries and schools, my mom was always my best friend. My mom is a person who understands me as much as it is possible for one person to understand another. She has watched me grow up and knows my strengths and weaknesses and knows how to counsel me. We have never, ever fought. Even when I was a teenager. It was an easy relationship. She tells the story of being in Kindergarten and being talked to like a baby. She was determined not to do that to her own kids. She feels that even a baby is a human being with dignity and deserves respect and to be taken seriously. She has always treated me that way.

When she counsels me, my mom knows how to listen and validate my feelings and helps me to move on. She helps me see the positive without simply telling me to cheer up. She lets me cry if I need to. My husband has often said how glad he is for my mom's role in my life. He knows that she usually has just the right thing to say. One of those things she says is how perfect Warren and I are for each other!

My mom gently pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me fly. She sent me on trips around Europe to learn languages and study art and culture. She has an excitement for life that is contagious. She is always learning and sharing her dreams and ideas. She is an interesting person to be around.

My mom is incredible. One thing I admire so much about her is her positive attitude. She is the person we all turn to with our woes, physical and emotional, and she talks us through it and usually adds: "We have to have more faith!" She is always willing to look for the positive and focus on it, even if things are tough. Another thing I'm so impressed by my mom is her ability to forgive and forget and move on. She has always taught me that in a family we have to forgive each other on a daily basis, spouses and parents and children. Those words echo in my ears and I try to implement them. I have a better marriage and relationship with my children because of the things my mom has taught me.

My mom is an extremely hard worker. She was tiling a bathroom in our house just weeks before she gave birth to her fifth child. She always did all the work that comes with motherhood without a complaint. She made motherhood look so easy and natural. She never ever lost her temper with us children. She cooked and cleaned and took care of us, because that's just what you do as a mother. I always wanted her around. I always knew she wanted us around. I knew we came first in her life.

My mom knows how to have fun. She was always coming up with a fun craft idea, or was willing to support the ideas that I had. She would go all out in finding the supplies and doing the craft. She loves fantasy books and got us all reading at a young age. She would take us to the local library, however big or small, and got us excited to read and disappear into other times and places.

My mom is a great cook and can whip up a meal for a big group of people without any stress. She has a talent for making everything look easy. I struggle and stress far more over things that I admire so much in her.

Above all else, my mom has a deep and fervent testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and has instilled in me that faith and testimony. She knows her scriptures very well and I especially admire her knowledge of the Old Testament, which is a hard book of scripture for many people to follow. She has been an example of her testimony to us children, and to friends in many countries.

I love my mom with all my heart and could go on, but it will be the post for another day.

Happy New Year of Life, dear Mom. I hope it's a great one for you.
You deserve it!!!!

Lots of love,
your daughter, Dorothea